Senate Health Committee Chairman Joseph Vitale (D-Woodbridge) wants State Sen. Joseph Pennacchio (R-Montville) to release work product related to former Morris County Freeholder John Inglesino's $3,000-a-year job as a political advisor.  Vitale cited an Associated Press report that Inglesino went on Pennacchio's staff the day after his term expired, allowing him to continue in the state pension system.

This is a standard practice for the state's political elite from both parties, but Inglesino is also an advisor to GOP gubernatorial candidate Christopher Christie, who has called for an end to part-time politicians participating in the pension system.

"Does Christie condone using state taxpayer money to pay for a state senator's political adviser?" asked Vitale.  "He says he did not know that his long time friend, political adviser and chief fundraiser was put on a state payroll to extend his state taxpayer funded benefits, so Christie should  join me in demanding the release of Inglesino's work product for Senator Pennacchio.  We all deserve to see exactly what this ‘political adviser' did in his state taxpayer funded job that allowed him to pad his pension."

Vitale wants Pennacchio to release any "documents that were authored by, copied to or mention Inglesino to illustrate the work he performed to earn his taxpayer-funded salary and pension benefits. Vitale said such documents could include, but not be limited to, memos, letters, emails, reports, or any other written correspondence, as well as Inglesino's calendar of appointments and or schedules and records of meetings and phone logs."